NDLEA Arrests Journalist, 5 Other Suspected Drug Traffickers At MMIA

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on Friday said it has arrested a Brazil-based freelance journalist (names withheld) and a patent medicine dealer over alleged drug trafficking.

This is contained in a statement by the agency’s spokesman, Mr Mitchel Ofoyeju in Lagos.

The 25-year-old lady and the suspected dealers were arrested at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja.

According to the statement, the suspects were currently being interrogated by the NDLEA’s operatives over the drug trafficking.

“The six suspects were said to have been apprehended at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos with 13.410kg of substances that tested positive for narcotics.

“NDLEA commander at the Lagos airport, Ahmadu Garba, gave the names of the suspects as Gabriel Juliet, 25, caught with 2.900kg of cocaine in duty-free bag.

“Anagbogu Okwudili, 48, ingested 47 wraps of cocaine weighing 940g and Enenchi Oguejiefor, 36, concealed 5.500kg of cannabis inside fufu.

“Others are Ani Tochukwu, 32, who packed 21 wraps of Cocaine weighing 350g inside jeans trousers; Eletamuzor Kenechukwu, 28, caught with a kilogramme of ephedrine inside hair attachment and Okpala Arinzechukwu, 35, caught with 2.720kg of cocaine.

“Apart from Kenechukwu and Oguejiefor that attempted to export ephedrine and cannabis to South Africa and Dubai, others were apprehended smuggling drugs into the country.

“The suspects attributed their involvement to the financial rewards offered them and the agency has commenced investigation into the cases.

“The only female suspect, Juliet who resides in Abuja reportedly told narcotic investigators during interrogation that she was given the drug by her boyfriend in the United Arab Emirates,’’ the statement said.

It also quoted the Acting Chairman of the agency, Mrs Roli Bode-George as saying that she had urged members of the public to avoid wrong association.

“The agency has put in place several measures to prevent drug trafficking.

“We are also committed to speedy investigation and trial of offenders.

“Let me call on members of the public to be mindful of the association they keep,” Bode-George said.